1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to fixtures used in the transportation industry on trucks and rail cars for holding, supporting and segregating transported materials, especially bulk materials and more particularly to a hydraulically operated boom for use on a log hauler to separate logs into two portions for improved load-off.
2. Description of Related Art
In the trucking industry as applied to log hauling, a flatbed trailer is widely used for hauling logs. Such a trailer is built with fixtures along its sides for securing upright posts, spaced at an interval so as to contain loose logs laid onto the flat bed. This collection of from several to as much as one hundred logs are of different lengths, diameters and types, but all are positioned for hauling onto the flat bed and held there between the two rows of upright posts placed on either side of the flatbed. In order to facilitate the off-loading of the logs, which is accomplished by use of a grappling crane which must be able to get under the logs in order to lift them off the truck, a splitter log is commonly used. This log is placed on top of a first load of logs and oriented laterally across the flat bed trailer. Thus the logs placed on top of the splitter log are slightly separated from the lower, first placed logs, providing a space for the grappling crane to acquire leverage and position around the upper group of logs.
The prior art teaches the use of splitter logs for separating a lower and an upper group of logs to be hauled. However, splitter logs are not stable, are not necessarily of an ideal size, and are prone to breakage during transport. The present invention overcomes these problems and provides further related advantages as described in the following summary.
The present invention teaches certain benefits in construction and use which give rise to the objectives described below.
A separating apparatus for use in hauling logs uses a pressure driven actuating device joined for actuating a pivoted boom adapted for moving from a vertical, log-loading, position on a log-hauling flat bed truck trailer, to a horizontal, log supporting, position. A boom cradle is adapted for receiving a terminal end of the pivoted boom when in the horizontal position. The actuating device, pivoted boom and boom cradle are adapted for engagement with the truck trailer for operation in loading, carrying and unloading logs.
A primary objective of the present invention is to provide an apparatus and method of use of such apparatus that provides advantages not taught by the prior art.
Another objective is to provide such an invention capable of eliminating the use of separator logs.
A further objective is to provide such an invention capable of moving from a retracted position to an extended position.
A still further objective is to provide such an invention capable of supporting a load of logs in a rectangular stack and improving the loading balance on the transport vehicle.
Other features and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following more detailed description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, which illustrate, by way of example, the principles of the invention.